JOINT CLERKS.

(a) Except as otherwise provided by this section, a county with a population of less than 8,000 shall elect a single clerk to perform the duties of the district clerk and the county clerk.

(b) The offices of county clerk and district clerk may remain separate if a majority of the qualified voters in the county vote to keep the offices separate at an election held for that purpose. The commissioners court of the county may hold a special election for that purpose on a uniform election date authorized by law that occurs not later than the 30th day before the date of the regular primary election that precedes the expiration of the constitutional term of office for the clerk. Notice of the special election shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county not later than the 20th day before the date scheduled for the election. The question may be presented to the voters again immediately before the expiration of each subsequent constitutional term of office of the separate clerk. The special election may not prevent a county clerk, district clerk, or joint clerk from serving the full term of office to which the clerk was elected.

(c) The commissioners court of a county that has a population of 5,415 to 5,515 shall determine whether the county shall have a joint clerk but may not take action to prevent a district clerk, county clerk, or joint clerk from serving the full term of office to which the clerk was elected.